Tube-rolling machine.



F. FENTON. TUBE ROLLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1916.

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TUBE ROLLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1 1916.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. FENTON. TUBE ROLLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. 1916.

Patentedbept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

u Z Z Z m withspeed and accuracy tubes of this class,

'which'shall be free particula -nnnannrnnron, or AKRON, on:

j inamee.

To all whom it may concern --*Be"it known that I, FRANK Fnivfroiv, a "citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident oil 1- Akron, Ohio,

have invented certain new and 'ments in machines for producing" convolute wound tubing and is more especially designed for manufacturing rubber tubing for P r ly or. coated to make it adhesive.

, sufficiently the-sheet to adhere to the use as inner tubes for pneumatic tires, though not limited to such use.

"In devising my present lnventlon I have aimed to provide a machine which will make from blisters and other defects heretofore frequently found in machine made tubes. Y I have further aimed to provide a mabe economical and durable and'capable of easy manipulation. ("The invention includes the novel features of' c'onstruction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and rly defined by the appended claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

igure 1 is a plan view of such a machine broken away. Fig. 2 is a front elevation also partly broken away, and, Fig. 3 is an end elevation. 7

According to my present invention I support the sheet of rubber composition from whichthe tube is to be formed by winding inficonvolute form upon a mandrel, upon a fiatsupporting plate or platen with the edge Of'tllG'SllGBt projecting beyond the edge of thepl'ate, such projecting edge being treated Thereafter thesupporting plate is moved by a suitable conveyer until said adhesive edge is brought into-' contact with the surface of a floating which .is sustained in of rollers,'one of which may be power driven and the others rotated by frictional contact. Afterthe supporting plate has been-moved to cause, the projecting edge of movement of'the said plate is arrested and the sheet drawn therefrom by the rotation ofthe mandrel, the frictional contact of the sheet with the supporting plate secures sufii- Specification of Letters Patent.

mandrel further o, ASSIGNOR TO THE MILLER RUBBER commas, or snow, OHIO, A CORPORATION or bHIo.

TUBE-ROLLING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 5, i916.

Application filed June 1, 1916. Serial No. 101,089.

cient tension to efiectually prevent the. rubher from forming a bank in front of the mandrel and thereby entrapping air and forming blisters or creases.

Referring by reference characters to the drawings, which show a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the operation above referred to, the numeral 1 designates a machine frame which may be of any construction necessary to supporting'theworking parts ofythe machine.

2, Q are parallel rails supported at'opposite ends of the frame 1, andcarrying at the rear ends pillow or bearing blocks 3, 3'.

Rails 2, also support at their forward ends bearings l, 4, which are slidably adjustable along rails 2. Rails 2, also support brackets 5, 5' at their forward extremities. Brackets 5, 5 support adjusting screws 6, 6, for the purpose of adjusting bearings forward and backward along rails 2. Bearings 4, support an idle roller 7, said roller 7, being prm'ided with helical ridges 7 and 7 the ridges 7 forming a right hand helix and extending from the right hand ,end of the roll to its center, and the ridges 7 forming a left hand helix extending from the left end of roll 7, to its center. Brackets 3, 3 support a roll 8, at the rear of themachine, said roll 8 being provided at one end with a clutch 9, carrying a pulley 10, and having suitable shifting mechanism such as hand lever 11, connected thereto, for the purpose of connecting said roll 8, to'any convenient source of power. The clutch 9, may be of any standard construction and is representative of any suitable means for ap plying or disconnecting the power from said roll 8, at the operator's will. ,An endless conveyer 12, of a width which is longer than the longest tube which I desire to make,encircles rolls 7 and 8. From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that this conveyer may be driven by means of the roll 8, and any slack therein may be taken up bythe adjustable bearings 4, 4 and their over the top of roll 14, andthe under portion passes below the roll 4. Rails 2 also support a table 15, which extends beneath,

the upper surface of conveyor belt 12; from roll 7, "at the front of the machine to roll 14, at the rear of the machine,said table extending from rail. 2 to rail 2, and being ,sor'newhat, wider than the conveyor belt- 12.

' fTable 15., is provided with raised parallel strips 16, 16', extending'from the front of the machine toward the rear.

. 5 Guided between strips 16, 16' is a sheet I supporting plate 'or platen 1 7. Strips 16,

16.are-prov1d ed withstops 18, 18 at their ,forward ends, and stops 19, 19 at their rearflends'. -The sheet supporting plate or 0 platen 1-7 rests upon the conveyer belt 12 and is guided between strips 16, 16 an upon motion being applied to'the conveyer ,belt 12, the plate or platen 17 is carried rearwardlyiof the machine, by frictional con- 25 tact with the conveyer belt, until prevented from further motion by its contact with,

sto s 19,19; Theplaten 17 is provided 18' Pedestals 20, 20f rigidlyisuppo'rted from the. frame 1, of the machine, carry plates 21, 21, 22, 22'. 'Rigidly supported in i plates 21 and 22, are rods 23, fixed in verti- 5 cal parallel relation. A cross-head 24, slid- "a-bly mounted on rods 23, is formed with a threaded boss 24, which engages a screw 25.

, .The upper end of the screw 25 is journaled inia boss 21, formed inthe center of plate Q 21. Screw 25.also'carries above boss 21 a beveled gear 26. The same description will apply;to like parts at the opposit end of the machine. H Plates 21 are-formed with'a vertical projection carryinga horizontal boss 21". Plate 21. is also provided, with a similar boss 21 the two bosses 21 and 21 being n hor1-' zontal alinement and forming bearings for a; horizontal shaft 27 journaled. there- }Shaft 27 carries fixed bevel gears'28, 28 meshing with bevel gears 26, 26, re-

' viously described Rotation imparte to F shaft :27,.will raise or lower cross-heads-24 24'f"-in' unison, thro'ugh bevelfg'ears 28, .28 and'screws 25,]work1ng in ross-h'eads24.

Sha ft 27also arries a fixed pulley 28,, and f'idle pulle s 29 andBO-adjacent thereto on either j' si e of said xed pulley 28. A

strai ,yand. a cross -belt""32,; normally sur- [rounds-{the pulley 29. A bracket 33 sup- ).zi ported ol'i' plate 214i carries sliding rod 34 provided wa' fixed shifting forks 35 and 36. Rod .34 '.is also provided with a shifter "locked 1n thereon.

ht belt 31, normally surrounds the pullever 37 bywhich it may be moved horizonmemos tally, and ositions of belts 31 and 32, which are encirc ed by shifting forks 35 and 36, may be changed so as to bring either belt upon the fixed pulley 28, thus causing rotation of the shaft 27 and consequently raising or lowering of the cross-heads 24, 24'. Rods 23 also carry a second cross head 38,- slidably mounted thereon. I Cross-head 24 is {provided with bosses 24 and 24, forming b1 urcated bearings, surroundin the rods 23, by which it is guided inltsvertictil movement. The cross-head 38 is also provided with bosses 38 and 38 also forming bifurcated bearings, by which cross head38 is guided in its vertical movements by rods 23.- Cross-heads 24 and 38 and rods 23 are so assembled that bosses 38", come between bosses 24 and 24. In this position an upward movement of cross-head 24 will cause boss 24 to oppose 38 and thereby raise cross-head 38. Also a downward movement of cross head 24, will carry cross-head 38 until it makes contact with somefixed object, preventing the motion of cross head 38. Cross-head 24 will then proceed in its downward movement without effecting the cross head 38. Cross-head38 is provided with a horizontal slot 38. Located in slot 38, are horizontal studs 39, which may be moved toward the front or rear of the machine within the limits of said slot 38 for the purpose of adjustment. Studs 39, are osition by nuts 40, threaded tuds 39 carry. idle rollers 41, mountedon the ends thereof. Cross-head 38 is also provided with idle rollers 41, supported in like manner.

Referring to Fig. 3, 42 is a hollow tube ors'orcallled building pole or mandrel, upon which therubber tubes arebuilt. Said pole 42 rests upon the surface of belt 12, sli tly to the rear of the vertical center line 0% roll 14. Idle rollers 41, are so adjusted as to be.

. rotation of the shaft 27, and the corresponding elevation of the rollers 41, 41. After the rollers 41, 41" have been elevated above the belt 12 at sufiicient distance to allow the building pole or mandrel 42 to pass between rollers 41, 41' and belt 12, the shifter lever 37 is moved to such a dposition as to sto further elevation of sai rollers 41, 41' an an empty inner tube pole .42, is now placed in theuproper position upon belt 12, prefparts.

, operation of the machine, the

upon the mandrel or [said idle roll H, supporting said belt.

cross head 21 ceases.

erably from the rear of the machine. Shifter lever 37 is then again operated so as to cause the rollers 11, 41 to descend and ,make contact with the end of the inner tube pole, pressing said pole against the portion of the belt 12, slightly to the rear of the Lowering of cross-heads 24. 2% is continued until the operator sees that bearings 21 of cross head 21 have departed from contact with boss-38 of cross-head 38, when the entire weight of the rolls +1 and cross heads will "be supported by the mandrel which in turn is supported and rotated wholly by'the portion of the conveyer belt adjacent the side roll 14. The s ifter lever is then shifted to its central position. at which time motion of It will be noted that the only downward pressure exerted upon the inner tubepole is now due to the weight q? cross-heads 38, 38 and their associated Said cross-he'ads 38, 38' are proportioned in weight in order to give the proper amount of pressure between the inner tube pole 42, and the idle roll 14. Continuing the operator now grasps the platen 17. by the hand holes 17, and pulls it toward the front until it comes in contact with the stops 18, 18 The sheet of rubber which is intended to be rolled inner tube pole, is now placed upon the platen 17, in such a position that the edge of the rubber nearest the inner y it will be remembered that the tube pole overlaps theplaten 17, by a small amount, and upon the belt conveyer l2. platen 17, itself also lays upon the belt 12. The upper side of the projecting edge of this rubber has been caused to become sticky, by the application of some rubber solvent. The operator now throws the clutch lever 11, which controls the application of power to the conveyer belt 12, through roller 8. The upper surface of the conveyer belt 12, moves rearwardly toward the inner tube pole or mandrel carrying with it the platen 17, and the superimposed sheet of rubber, from which the inner tube is to be made. The aforesaid projecting edge of this sheet of rubber passes beneath the inner tube pole and is stuck thereto by its cemented edge, so that the rubber leaves the conveyer belt 12 and follows the motion of the inner tube pole, there by rolling itself upon the inner tube pole. Immediately after the projecting edge of the rubber has entered between theinner tube pole and the conveyor belt 12, the platen 17 comes in contact with stops 19, 19' preventing its further forward motion. The con veyer'belt 12 proceeding on its motion draws the remaining portion of the rubber sheet over the top of the now stationary plate 17, and the slight friction between the rubber sheet and the platen 17 causes the rubber sheet to be drawn upon the inner tube pole edge of the platen,

with a slight tension, which efiectually prevents the rubber from forming a bank in front of the inner tube trapping air and forming blisters and creases in the tube. The object in placing the inner tube pole slightly to the rear of the center of the idle roller 1*}, is to take care of any irregularities in the inner tube poles as these poles are often slightly bent from continued abuse. After the rubber sheet has been entirely wound upon the inner tube pole. forming a tube of several plies, the shifter lever 37 is again operated so at. to elevate the rollers 41, 41. After the rollers -11, 41'

distance for the pole to pass beneath them,

tube thereon will be carried to the rear of the machine, the conveyer belt 12, thus serving as a conveyer belt, to carry the away, and the roller 8 may be located at any convenient distance from the rolling mechanism, its only purpose being to support and drive the belt 12. The clutch lever 11 can now be operated, stopping belt 12, another tube placed in the proper' roll in position, and the afore described operation is repeated. Rollers 4:0 and 41 are preferably made in the shape with the end portions only ofthe mandrel, the space between said pairs of rolls 40 and 41 allowing for any warping or irregularity in the mandrel. I

lVhat I claim is:-

1. In a tube winding macl1ine,'a floating mandrel, a plurality of rolls relatively movable toward and from ed to retain the mandrel therebetween, means for rotating said rolls and mandrel, a platen for supporting the sheet to be wound with its edge projected beyond the edge of the platen, and means whereby the platen is moved forward until the projected edgeof the sheet is applied to the mandrel and is then arrested to permit the sheet to be drawn from the platen.

2. In a tube winding machine, a floating a platen for supporting the sheet to be' pole and thereby have been raised a sufiicient' pole of very short rollers to contact each other and adaptwound with its edges projected beyond the friction means for moving the platen toward the mandrel until the projected edge of the sheet is applied to the mandrel and stops for arresting the movement of the platen.

3. In a tube winding machine, mandrel, endless moving mandrel ing and sheet conveying means, a yieldable rollers for sides of the mandrel, a platen for supporting the sheet to be wound. with its edge projected beyond the edge of the platen, said platen a floating supportpair of bearing upon the upper bein supported by said conveying means and oved wholly by its frictional contact therewith and stops for arresting the movepair-ofyieldable rollers located above said belt in proximity to said idle roller, amandrel supported above said conveyer belt in proximlty to said idle roller and pressed upon by said yieldable rollers and lying in the bite formed therebetween, means for positively raising and lowering said pair ofrollers, a sheet supporting platen resting upon said conveyer belt and stops for arresting the movement of the platen.

5. In combination endless moving sheet conveying and mandrel supporting means, a vertically movable roll carrier above said means carrying a pair of mandrel retaining means having a lost motion connection with said roll carrier.

6. In combination endless moving sheet feeding and mandrel supporting means,'a mandrel supported thereby, guide posts,

cross-heads supported by said guide posts, a

pair of idle rolls carried by said cross-heads, the upper side ofsaid mandrel resting in the bite of said idle rolls, a second pair of cross-heads movable on said guides and hav- 7 ing a lost motion connection with the first named cross-heads and means for raising and lowerin said second named cross-heads 7. In com ination an endless moving conveyer belt, an idle roll supporting an intermediate portion of said belt, a roll carrier above said belt in proximity to said idle roll,

and 'a pair of idle rolls carried by said idle roll carrier with the median'vertical line between said'idle rolls in rear of the axis of the said first named idle roll, and a-mandrel above said conveyer belt and engaging the bite of said pair of idle rolls.

8. In combination an endless moving conveyer belt, an idle roll supporting an intermediate portion of the belt, a roll carrier above said belt in proximity to said idle roll,

of said first named idle roll, and means for adjusting the, rearmost of said air of rolls toward and from its mate, an a mandrel engaging the bite of said pair of idle rolls.

9. In combination an endless conveyer belt and means for driving it, an idle roll supporting an intermediate portion of said be a floating mandrel supported by said belt, a pair of yielding juxtaposed presser rolls with the bite of which said mandrel engages, parallel guides in proximity to said conveyer belt, a sheet supporting platen retained by said guides at its edges and having frictional contact with the conveyer belt and stops for engaging opposite edges of said platen for limiting the movement thereof.

10. In combination, a lower roll, a pair of upper rolls, a mandrel supported between the bite of. said upper rolls and said lower rolls, a sheet carrier adapted to support a sheet of material with its edge projected beyond the edge of said carrier, and means for moving said carrier 'u-ntil said projected- I upon thereby, a sheet carrier adapted to support a sheet of material with its edge projected beyond the edge of said carrier, and means for moving said carrier until said projected edge contacts with said mandrel and then arresting it.

12. In a tube rolling machine, an endless -movin surface a mandrelsu orted thereby and a pair of yielding presser rolls bearing upon the mandrel at or near each end thereof.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

FRANK FENTON.

Witnesses C. A. WOLF, D. E. KIMBALL. 

